Just days ago a Michells Plain family nearly had their daughter snatched out of their own car window at a traffic light. The father of the girl managed to hang on to her and the perpetrators fled the scene without the child.

Police are still investigating the incident and are calling it “a first for officials”.

This is not, however the first attempted child abduction made viral in South Africa.

In November 2016, a man was caught trying to abduct a child from a Joburg Spur restaurant.

Human Trafficking Is Real

This might be the closest you have come to human trafficking, however this is happening right outside your back door.

Many South Africans may not even know it- but South Africa has one of the highest human trafficking statistics in the world.

According to the Global Slavery Index, there are 45.8 million people enslaved in 167 countries today! And the number is on the rise!

Modern Day Form Of Slavery

Human trafficking is essentially a form of slavery as it deprives a person of their rights.

The National Freedom Network defines human trafficking as “a crime in which men, women, teenagers and children are subjected to force, fraud, or coercion for the purposes of forced labor or commercial sex.”

Over a period of ten years, trafficking has multiplied worldwide and is now officially comparable to the African slaves of the 16th and 17th century.

The truth is that 600 000 children living in Africa are victims of human trafficking on an annual basis. This does not only refer to people in poverty-stricken regions, but also the average African citizen.

South Africa is one of the prime source, transit and destination countries for human trafficking.

Both local and foreign victims are transported to South Africa to work this illegal industry.

Prostitution

There is much controversy surrounding prostitution in South Africa. Many people are under the impression that this is a legal industry. This is however not the case and falls under human trafficking.

“In South Africa, prostitution is illegal. If someone is suspected of being a perpetrator of human trafficking, they are arrested and prosecuted,” explains National Freedom Network’s Marina Reyneke.

So next time you see a woman helplessly standing on the side of the road looking for ‘customers’. That is illegal and considered a form of human trafficking.

She can go to jail for that!

What Can I Do As A Parent?

The Protective Behaviours SA campaign is a nationwide organisation that runs workshops for parents wanting to find out about child safety.

If you think it won’t happen to you, think again. We, as parents think that we teach our kids about “Stranger Danger”. But look how easy it actually is.

Here are their four top tips to protect children from abduction:

Early warning signs- trust your gut as a parent if something feels wrong, it probably is.

Don’t go anywhere with a person you don’t know well or have permission to go with from your parents.

Encourage your child to tell you if something is wrong. They must avoid being in a situation where they are isolated.

The family needs to create a family password. This must be used if anyone is in danger.

It’s really as easy as this…

*If you are aware of any form of human trafficking taking place- please call the toll free help line now on 0800 222 777 – you could save a life!